The Insecure Writer's Support Group and Hero Lost

May 3 Question: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

I’ve had to research a lot of things for my two non-fiction books and series of five NA fiction books.

The coolest was the research I did for Book V though. Since the main character was a new assistant coach for the Clemson Lady Tigers basketball team, I reached out to the head coach at Clemson, Cristy McKinney. She was gracious enough to answer my questions regarding the duties of a junior assistant coach and what goes on behind the scenes. I could not have written that book without her help.

By the time Book V was released, Cristy was no longer the head coach. I did manage to find her on Facebook and was able to send her a copy of The Circle of Friends: Book V...Heather.

The big news for the day is the release of the IWSG anthology!

Hero LostMysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Can a lost hero find redemption? What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery? Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster. Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!

In this marvelous collection of speculative fiction, we journey through twelve wonderfully written tales to find out if the tortured hero can be redeemed. - Christine Rains, author

The authors have done us a favour by all being darned good at their craft. Recommended for fantasy fans. - Gordon Long, author

Research...I'm sure I've made some watchlists. I've looked how to hide a bomb, best places to cross the Texas/Mexican border, how to fake a heart attack death, and more. While everything I research doesn't always make the cut in a book, it's always part of the process.

Hmm...the most interesting thing I've ever researched was probably Nordic mythology for Monsters in Our Wake. I decided to pepper the story with Scandinavian "Easter eggs" as a nod to my heritage, so I learned all about the Nøkken and other mysterious creatures. It was a lot of fun. The oil industry part of the required research, not so much.

Isn't it great when you can get answers from the horse's mouth so to speak? I've spoken with doctors, nurses,firefighters and police officers for some of mine. I enjoy speaking to the locals when i visit some place for research too.

Your research sounds like fun. It's nice she was so helpful. I've researched a lot, but one of the most interesting topics was about a woman who posed as a man to enlist to fight in the Revolutionary War.

As a writer, I discovered working with Subject Matter Experts was the key to hidden worlds. Wonderful you found a junior assistant coach willing to take you behind the scenes. Nice you were able to find Cristy & sender her a copy of The Circle of Friends: Book V...Heather.

I've found that most people are pretty willing to answer questions and help out with research and a lot of them will go out of their way to do it. It was a nice gesture for you to send Cristy a copy of the book to show that her help was worth the effort she put in for you.

Thanks for your comment on my post today. To answer your question on how the guys keep the gourds on...it's with string tied strategically in the nether region. There was a close-up photo but chose not to put it on my blog as it might be too up close and personal. So exciting about the anthology.

I would say the most important thing I have researched and I am still researching is facts for my series that I am writer. Congrats also to all the writers for the anthology. I have my copy on my iPad Mini.

Wow, that's pretty freakin' cool that the Clemson coach responded back to you. I wanted to reach out to some people about my fictional book, but feared I wouldn't hear back, but I guess the worst that could happen is, well, nothing, right?

You were lucky in your research. In my experience as a journalist, less than half people I apply to for some of my investigative articles answer me at all. It's rewarding when a person you want to talk to is willing and able to give you what you need.

Research is one of my favorite aspects of writing. Knowing when to stop is a problem at times. Readers are quick to pick up fake facts so let's not disappoint. I hope the anthology burns up the Amazon charts.

Going to an actual coach gave you the inside scoop which I'm sure helped to authenticate the character. Good move.Congrats on the Hero Lost anthology...and well done on all your hard work, Diane!I'm sure it's going to sell like hot cakes!